Conveyer



L. A. BUCK CONVEYER Oct. 18, 1932.

Filed Jan. 1'7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l jwe7z07" caer: a. me

w mts m7 L. A. BUCK Oct. 18, 1932.

GONVEYER Filed Jan. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUCIE-N A. BUCK, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BUCK DRYER CORPORATION, OF MANCHESTER,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION YORK ` or NEW CON VEYER Application ledJanuary 17, 1931. Serial No. 509,341.

This invention relates to conveyers of the general type having an aproncomprising 1ndependent sections flexibly connected to form an endlesstraveling surface, and more particularly to conveyers wherein thesections are suspended between flexible elements such as side chainswhich operate over sprockets, and carry the sections around thesprockets at the ends of the conveyer.

It is highly desirable to have these sections arranged with theiradjacent edgesas close together as possible to prevent the materialbeing conveyed from entering into or falling through the spaces betweenthe-sections, and further that the sections abut without overlapping, soas to present a continuous and uninterrupted conveying surface, sincethis makes it possible to clean adhering material from the surface bythe operation of a scraper or other instrumentality, which may moverelatively to the sections from one section to another, and in fact fromone end of the conveyer 'to the other without encountering obstructions.While these sections may conveniently be connected at their ends byvarious types of hinge assemblies, usual constructions of this kindpermit the adjacent ends of the sections to separate as the conveyer isflexed so that particles or fragments of material being handled may fallthrough the openings F thus provided, and either become lodged thereinor are otherwise effective to interfere with the proper operation of thehinges.

Objects of this invention are to improve the construction of conveyersof the class described by providing for maintaining the upper surfacesof the apron sections substantially coplanar or in end to end alignment,especially while on the active run of the conveyer, while keepingsuccessive sections close enough together, effectively to preventmaterial from falling between adjacent ends thereof; to provide improvedmeans for connecting adjacent sections so that the conveyer may flexwithout exposing any appreciable recess or cavity in which fragments ofmaterial might become lodged; to provide an improved hinge constructionfor connecting the sections and having means for adequately enclosingand protectingthe hinge pivot unmembers extending transversely of theplates and between the conveyer chains; to improve the construction ofconveyers of the class referred to by providing an improved apronembodying a rugged, durable hinge construc- A tion consisting ofrelatively few and simple shapes which are inexpensive to manufacture;and also to provide apparatus of the class described having an improvedconstruction and relative arrangement of parts.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a conveyer; F Fig..2 is asection along the line 2 2 of 1g. 1; Fig. 3 is a section along the line3-f-3 of Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a conveyer of thegeneral type shown in Fig. 1, but embodying a modied form ofconstruction; j

Fig. 5 is a developed view of an apron plate;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a completed apron plate;

Fig. is a side elevation of the plate shown in Fig. 6; and v Fig. 8 is alongitudinal section of a portion of the conveyer illustrating themanner in which the sectional apron may flex in passing aroundsprockets.

The conveyer selected for illustration comprises a sectional apron,indicated generally at 10, suspended between link side chains, likewiseindicated generally at 11. Each side chain is composed of pairs of links13 and 14 which are connected together at their s of these links beingfitted upon a tubular member 19 which receives the rivet 16 and providesa bearing for the roller 21. These chains are supported by means of sideangles 22 (Fig. 3) on which the rollers 21 are adapted to ride. Theinner links 13 and 18 of the chains carry longitudinally disposed angles23 which rovide supports for the sectional apron. n this instance the aron is com osed of perforated sheet metal p ates 24 which extendtransversely from one side to the other, and overlie the supportingangles 23. Side guards 26 are disposed along the longitudinal edges ofthese apron plates and have their anged lower ends held to the plates bybolts 27 which also connect the apron plates to the angles 23.

Each apron plate, as shown in Fig. 5, may

be made from a substantially rectangular piece of sheet material byforminga row of transversel spaced substantially rectangular openings 27across each end thereof. Each row of openings is spaced suiciently fromthe end of the late to leave adequate material for forming a reinforcingand hinge construction to be described.

The blank or sheet of material is then bent downwardly approximatelyalong the transverse center lines 1 -b, c-d of the openings 27 of eachrow so that the material between these openings may form hinge straps orloops 28. Preferablyv the portions e, f of the late immediately outsidethe openings are ent through an angle of approximately 180 so that thematerial immediately beyond the loops extends substantially horizontallyunder the plate and provides a reinforcing Cil means connecting thesehinge straps or loops. In order further to strengthen and stiifen thishinge construction, the marginal por.- tions g, hof each plate may bebent downwardly in an inclined direction such that similar portions ofeach plate converge toward each other (Fig. 7). These marginal portionsare preferably folded or doubled to add stiffness to this reinforcingconstruction.

As will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 5, the openings 27 atone end of a plate may be staggered with respect to those at theopposite end of the same plate. When the completed plates are arrangedin end to end relation, the hinge straps or depending loops at one endof one plate will fit between the hinge straps or loops of the nextadjacent plate. The apron plates are assembled between the side chainsin this manner and a hinge pin 33 is passed through the staggeredinterfitting loops of adjacent plates to provide a pivotal connectionbetween the latter. The ends of this pin may be bent over, or

any other approved means may be employed for holding the pin in properposition in the hinge straps.

It should be noted that the pin here introduced is not essentially apivotal connection,

as the apron would function satisfactorily,

for some purposes at least, without these pins, for the indivldualplates are rigidly attached to the individual links of the chains oneither side thereof and the loops in the plates themselves, which form aretainer for the pin, conform to the pitch of the chain, being disposedcentrall of and in alignment with the chain rivet. ence the plates wouldoperate integrally with the apron chains if the pins were omitted. Thepin is introduced primarily to maintain the-plates in line and to forman interference which will prevent the plates being distorted andleaving a transverse crack between the plates. It will also be evidentthat the pin forms a locking device so that when the plates areassembled irrelspectve of the conveyer chain, they provide acontinuously interlocked and interlaced apron.' It will be seen that inthis construction, the lates are substantiall co-extensive with the inkmembers of the side chains and are pivotally connected at points in thevertical planes of the pivotal connections of the links of the sidechains. This provides a compact and efficient construction wherein thehinge assembly comprises a series of hinge straps or loops integrallyunited with the upper member of each apron plate, each hinge strapmerging smoothly into the upper surface of the plate so that theoperative run of the conveyer presents a smooth substantially continuoussurface with which a scraper or similar device may cooperate withoutinterference. As the conveyer passes around a sprocket 36 (Fig. 8) or isotherwise caused to flex, the hinge straps having a radius of curvaturewhich maintains their outer surfaces substantially even with thecontiguous portions of the a ron plates, are effective to fill in gapsor cavities which might otherwise open or be." exposed as adjacentplates are flexed. l

While'these desirable features may be conveniently embodied in aconveyer having apron plates formed of a single sheet of material, suchas the plates 10 just described, it is also possibleto form a sectionalapron of substantially rectangular sections of wire mesh material 40(Fig. 4) which are secured between the supporting angles 23 in the samemanner as the apron plates. In this instance, however, the hingeconstruction is similar in all respects to that formed on the ends ofthe sheet metal plates but the upper portion of each loo is cut oif at apoint inwardly of theopenings 27 and the loops are riveted or otherwiseaiixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the interposed section of wiremesh material, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. In all only and that thisinvention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a conveyer comprising side chains and apron sections disposedtherebetween to provide a load supporting surface, the combination 0fspaced loop members depending from adjacent apron sections and disposedin a row extending transversely of the conveyer between adjacent apronsections, alternate loop members of the row merging integrally into theupper surface of one of the adjacent apron sections and projectingoutwardly therefrom, the remaining loop members of this row mergingintegrally into the upper surface of the other of these adjacent apronsections and projecting outwardly therefrom, ahinge pin extendingthrough loop members of both adjacent apron sections, and a reinforcingmember connecting end portions of the loop members of each section, thereinforcing members diverging downwardly below the loop members toprovide adequate clearance between these parts tomaintain thereinforcing members in spaced relation when the conveyer is iexed.

2. An apron plate for a conveyer comprising a sheet of materialfhavino'a series of similar substantially rectangular openings spacedsubstantially uniformly in a transverse row across at least one end ofthe sheet,

the row of openings being spaced from the lend of the sheet to provide astrip of material for reinforcing the openings, the material separatingthe openings of the row forming hinge straps, the latter being curveddownwardly and backwardly for engagement with a hinge pin', thereinforcin strip of material extending downwardly sheet, andmeans-reinforcing the downwardly extending portion of this strip;

3. Anapron plate for aconveyer comprising a sheet of material having aseries of similar substantially rectangular openings spacedsubstantially uniformly in a transverse row across at least one end ofthe sheet, the row of openings bein spaced from the end of the sheet toprovi e a strip of material for reinforcing the openings, the materialseparating the openings of the row forming hinge straps, the latterbeingcurved downwardly and backwardly for engagement with a hinge pin,the reinforcing strip of material extending from the hinge strapsapproximately parallel to the main body of the sheet and then incliningdownwardl away from the hinge straps to rovide a equate clearance forthe reinforcing strip while moving Varound sprockets.

elow the;

4. An apron plate for a conveyer comprising a sheet of material havin aseries of similar substantially rectangu ar openings spacedsubstantially uniformly in a transverse row across at least one end ofthe sheet, the row of openings being spaced from the end of the sheet toprovide a strip of material for reinforcing the openings, the materialseparating the openings of the row forming hinge straps, the latterbeing curved downwardly and backwardly for engagement` with a hingepin,- the reinforcing strip of material extending from the hinge strapsapproximately parallel to the superposed portion of the sheet and theninclining downwardly away from the hinge straps to provide adequateclearance for the reinforcing strip while moving around sprockets, thefree end of the downwardly inclining portion of the reinforcing stripbeing turned backwardly substantially againstv this -downwardlyinclining portion for stitlening the same and giving added reinforcementto the hinge straps.

5. An apron plate comprising a sheet of material having opposite endportions thereface of each hinge strap merging smoothly into the uppersurface of the sheet, the free end portions of the sheet extendingbeyond the slots toward the central portion of the sheet in a directionapproximately parallel thereto and then converging downwardly towardeach other, the extremeends of the downwardly converging portions beingfolded upwardly substantiall against the upper parts of these downwar lyconverging portions.

Signed by me at New York city, N. Y., this fourteenth day of January1931.

. LUcrEiI A. BUCK.

